This invention relates generally to pediatric stretchers and, more particularly, to pediatric stretchers having four individual rail members, at least one of which includes a gate that is locked and released along its pivot axis.
Pediatric stretchers, or cribs, having various features have been developed for hospital use. Traditional pediatric cribs include a railing that surrounds the patient support deck and the mattress The railing can be a single unit that is raised and lowered as one piece. More commonly, the railing includes two, three or even four separate rail units. For instance, the railing might include an individual rail unit adjacent each side of the patient support deck. One or more of these rail units is capable of being raised and lowered with respect to the patient support deck. In addition, a gate is commonly provided on at least one side of contemporary pediatric cribs to allow access to the patient without the need to lower the railing.
Most pediatric stretchers today include one or more safety features to prevent a precocious patient from lowering a railing, opening a gate or otherwise endangering themselves. For instance, it is common for the mechanism to open a gate or lower a rail to include multiple buttons, levers, etc. that must be moved in unison to unlatch the component. While features such as these decrease the likelihood that a child will injure themselves on the stretcher, they can also interfere with use by a parent, nurse or other caregiver. For example, when a caregiver holding the patient desires to return the child to the crib, they often need two hands to open a gate or lower a rail to make the stretcher accessible. Thus, they must choose between putting the child down, a sometimes impractical or impossible choice, or holding the child in an awkward or unsafe manner, in order to access the stretcher mattress.
In addition to these concerns, it is common for pediatric patients to have one or more tubes or wires connecting them to intravenous (iv) fluid and/or medicine dispensers, monitoring equipment and other apparatuses. If the railing of the crib does not provide one or more openings for tube or wires to pass, the caregiver must choose between lowering the railing until it is flush with the mattress or unhooking the wires and/or tubes and reattaching them once the child is back in the crib.
This invention is directed to a new and useful pediatric stretcher. The pediatric stretcher includes a base unit that includes a number of lift assemblies. The lift assemblies are connected to a frame. The frame supports a patient support deck. A railing is coupled to the frame by a plurality of coupling members and is configured to surround the patient support deck. The railing includes four individual rails, including a front rail, a rear rail, a left rail and a right rail. At least one of the four rails is configured to be raised and lowered with respect to said patient support deck and the plurality of coupling members. At least one of the four rails includes a gate that can pivot about a pivot axis. The gate is configured to be released and locked along the pivot axis.